Tag Archives: Ron DeSantis

Politico reports: Lev Parnas, a Ukrainian American businessman accused of funneling foreign money into U.S. elections, attended a string of events with Ron DeSantis in the closing moments of the Republican candidate’s 2018 campaign for governor in Florida. In a photograph taken Nov. 4, two days before the election that propelled DeSantis to victory, Parnas is next to the smiling …

The Tampa Bay Times reports: The pictures show Ron DeSantis leaning in to hug a heavy-set, middle-aged man amid a sea of onlookers. DeSantis then turns to another man, who wraps his arms around the newly-elected governor at his victory celebration in Orlando. The two men embraced by DeSantis in these previously unpublished pictures? Igor Fruman and Lev Parnas, the …

The Miami Herald reports: As Hurricane Dorian neared a likely Florida landfall, Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency Wednesday afternoon for 26 counties in the storm’s path, spanning the east coast from Duval to Monroe counties. The state Emergency Operations Center is also activating to Level 2, he announced, bringing in more emergency management staff to coordinate a …

Via press release: Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the appointment of Dr. Julia Nesheiwat as Florida’s first Chief Resilience Officer (CRO). The CRO is tasked with preparing Florida for the environmental, physical and economic impacts of sea level rise. The CRO reports to the Executive Office of the Governor and will work in partnership with the Florida Department of Environmental …

The Washington Post reports: Rick Scott, when he was Florida’s governor, made the proclamation a year ago to mark the anniversary of the massacre at the Pulse nightclub two years before. A gunman killed 49 people at the LGBTQ-oriented club in 2016, what was then the largest mass shooting in U.S. history, and Scott, now a Republican senator, noted that …

Courthouse News reports: The Miami Herald and others sued Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his cabinet on Tuesday, claiming their planned meeting in Jerusalem on Wednesday will violate the open-meetings provision of the state’s Sunshine Law. The Tampa Bay Times, Gannett, and Gatehouse Media joined the Herald and the First Amendment Foundation in opposing the cabinet meeting planned for the …

Axios reports: Florida’s Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis said he will fight any federal plans that include “dumping” hundreds of migrants in southern Florida from the U.S.-Mexico border — even if that means taking it to President Trump directly. The federal government has reached capacity for processing the thousands of migrants crossing the border, forcing officials to find other options while …

Reuters reports: Florida’s legislature on Wednesday passed a bill allowing teachers to carry guns in the classroom, expanding a program launched after the deadly high school shooting in Parkland with the aim of preventing another such massacre. Florida’s House of Representatives voted 65 to 47 to pass the bill after hours of debate over two days in which the Republican …

The Hill reports: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) sent a letter to President Trump Tuesday requesting that the United States Space Command be headquartered in Florida. DeSantis touted the Sunshine State’s ties to both the military and space travel, suggesting its existing relations would make Florida an ideal location to headquarter the command. “As the most military friendly state in …

The Tallahassee Democrat reports: Michael Ertel, the newly appointed Secretary of State of Gov. Ron DeSantis, has resigned after photos emerged of him posing as a Hurricane Katrina victim in blackface at a private Halloween party 14 years ago. The photos obtained by the Tallahassee Democrat were shown to the Governor’s Office on Thursday morning. Hours later it issued a …

The Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel reports: Gov. Ron DeSantis removed Broward Sheriff Scott Israel from office Friday, replacing him after 10 months of turmoil spawned by the slaughter of 17 staff and students in Parkland. The governor replaced Israel with former Coral Springs Police Sgt. Gregory Tony, 40, who has a background in active-shooter training and becomes the first black sheriff …

NPR reports: Tuesday is a historic day in Florida. Under an amendment passed by the voters in November, as many as 1.4 million former felons are regaining the right to vote. The referendum overturned a 150-year-old law that permanently disenfranchised people with felony convictions. Before the change, people who served their time could apply for clemency to a board headed …

Education Week reports: Newly elected Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has appointed the members of his transition team for education—and on it are two people linked to efforts to weaken the teaching of evolution and climate change, among other topics. One of them, Keith Flaugh, is the managing director of the Florida Citizens Alliance, a local advocacy organization which supports “individual …

CNN reports: Andrew Gillum, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate in Florida, conceded to his Republican opponent, former Rep. Ron DeSantis, on Saturday, ending a protracted fight that saw the Tallahassee mayor take back his Election Day concession during a statewide recount. The concession ended Gillum’s first bid for statewide office in Florida, but the run — despite his loss — vaulted …

The Orlando Sentinel reports: After receiving unofficial election results from all 67 counties, Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner on Saturday officially ordered machine recounts in three statewide elections – U.S. Senate, Governor and Agriculture Commissioner. Now, county election officials will feed ballots into machines to recount the results in those races. The second round of results is due to …

The Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel reports: Protesters are chanting for Broward County’s elections chief to be imprisoned, and candidates are gearing up for a legal slugfest Friday, bringing chaos into Florida’s midterm elections reminiscent of the infamous 2000 presidential recount. A crowd assembled outside the office of Broward elections chief Brenda Snipes just a day after Republican Gov. Rick Scott delivered …

Orlando’s ABC affiliate reports: Campaign officials for Democratic gubernatorial Andrew Gillum say they are monitoring what appears to be a closer race against Republican Ron DeSantis than it first appeared. By Thursday, with more votes tallied and while some discrepancies are sorted out, DeSantis’ lead has narrowed dramatically. At noon Thursday, DeSantis led by only about 43,000 votes, which is …

Vox reports: Republican Ron DeSantis has defeated Democrat Andrew Gillum, the young Tallahassee mayor who was vying to become the first black governor in Florida history, to keep the Sunshine State’s governor’s mansion in GOP hands. DeSantis clung tightly to President Trump, except when Trump advanced a conspiracy theory about the death toll in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. DeSantis …

Politico reports: Tallahassee Mayor and Florida gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum hit back at President Donald Trump on Monday, after Trump called Gillum a “thief” in an inflammatory tweet. Soon after, Gillum called out Trump on Twitter. The race for Florida’s governor is one of several nationally watched elections this November. Gillum is the first black nominee from any major party …

Talking Points Memo reports: President Donald Trump attacked Democratic Florida governor candidate Andrew Gillum on Monday as a “thief,” and implied his lack of education as compared to the Republican candidate, Ron DeSantis. Gillum attended Florida A&M University, where he majored in political science. The education jab seems to be a variation of Trump’s favorite criticism of his black critics: …